School form



I Aug. 5, 1930. K. VON ROSENSTIEL SCHOOL FOR! Filed June 18. 1928 Patented Aug. 5, 1930 PATENT FFICE I KLAUS VON ROSENSTIEL, OF STETTIN, GERMANY SCHOOL FORM Application filed June 18, 1928, Serial No. 286,245, and in Germany July 23, 1927.

My invention relates to. school forms and it is an object of my invention to provide a form which is adapted to be converted into a gymnastic implement. To this end I provide a pedal for the pupil to stand on and I provide means for connecting the pedal with the hinged table board of the form so that the weight of the pupil is raised when the table board is turned on its hinge.

In this manner the pupils may perform gymnastic exercises at the beginning or the end of lessons, or during the lessons, such exercises being performed by stepping on the pedal and rocking the table board. While this is being done, the arms are bent and stretched alternately and a resistance is exerted against such bending and stretching, and the breathing performed in accordance therewith, by the weight of the pupil.

It is important that the'resistance should be proportional to the weight and consequently also approximatel 1 to the strength of the pupil and this problem is solved in the present instance by utilizing the weight of the pupil for making up the resistance.

Therefore the age and size of a pupil makes no difierence in the application of the implement. Besides the relation of the weight of the pupil to the resistance which it exerts may be varied by varying the leverage of the system.

It is important that the attitude of the body should correspond to the acknowledged principle that the pelvis is contracted and 55 the back is held straight and slightly to the rear, eliminating the hollow loins which usually result from such exercises. Therefore the exercises according to my invention impart to the body'a fine'natural attitude in 40 addition to the strengthening of the muscles.

It is a particular feature of my invention that it is possible to perform such exercises without the pupils leaving their forms.

In the drawing aflixed to this specification and forming part thereof, a form embodying my invention is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 isan elevation of a complete form,

Fig. 2 is a part section of the end of a hinged table board showing means for connecting itwith the pedal,

Fig. 3 is a similar section showing means for varying the leverage of the table board,

Fig. 4 is a detail of a connecting rod.

Referring now to the drawing, and first to Fig. 1, a is a frame or floor on which the seats 6 of the forms are erected, a is a table board, h is the hinge connecting it with the body of the form in the usual manner, 9 is a connecting rod which is secured to a pin p at the free end of the board by means which will be described below, when the table board 2' has been rocked forward on its hinge 72. into the position illustrated in full lines, f is a pin at the opposite end of the connecting rod, 0, e are the two arms of a double-armed lever which is fulcrumed in the body of the form at d, thepin f being secured to the end of the arm 6, and n is a pedal which recedes into a recess in the frame or floor a when the parts are in the position shown in full lines. The pedal n, the double-armed lever e, 6 connecting it with the rod g, and the rod itself are preferably arranged in the central plane of the forms,the rod being concealed in a recess of the back Z) of the seat 6, so as not to interfere when the pupil is reclining. However, I am not limited to the central arrangement of the system in combination with a single rod 9, as for instance two arms e, each-in combination with arod g, might'be provided at either side of the central plane. I

Referring now to Fig. 2, is is a slot provided at the free end of the table board 2', and m is a notch in the end of the connecting rod '9' which is adapted to engage the pin 1) as shown. The pin p is inserted in substantially triangular notches g in which it has some play in order to facilitate its engagement by the notched end of'the rod 9, and 1' is a plate for retaining the pin p in the notch "Q, the plate 9' being slotted to permit. the end I of the rod to pass.

Referring now to Fig. 3, this illustrates and retained by a slotted plate 1 as described.

The rod 9 may be connected with any of the three pins 2 in three notches of the slot is pins than three might be provided if desired.

The rod 9 may be provided with means for varying its length, for instance, it may be telescoping as indicated in Fig. 4, the lower portion 9 which is pivoted to the arm 6 at f being tubular and the upper portlon 7, being solid, or vice versa.

In operation, the table board 2' is raised into the position shown in full line's in Fig. 1 and the rod 9 is connected with the pin 29, or one of the pins, as the case may be. In this position the centres of the pins 7 and p and of the hinge 72, should be in a straight line so that when the table board is rocked forward, the. arm 6 will be depressed, the pedal n will be raised and the body of the pupil will raise with it. An intermediate position of the pin 72 is shown atp and it will be understood that the force exerted by the pupil is a function of three factors, to wit, firstly, the angle or between the table board 2' and the line con necting the pins p and f for the given relative position of the board and the rod, secondly, the pitch of the pin 79 and the hinge h, and thirdly, the leverage of e and c.

The force increases with the downward movement of the pin p and therefore the pupilis in a position to rock the board 71 as far ascorresponds to his, or her, strength. This feature is very important as it considers fatigue, a factor which cannot be considered in the majority of gymnastic implements.

As mentioned, the centres of the pins f, p and the hinge It should be in a straight line at the beginning of the operation as a resistance against further rocking. movement of the board 2' about its hinge it must only be exerted after the boardhas been rocked forward from this position so that the pin 79 is lowered. In the example illustrated, the

leverage e. e; and the pitch h-p are so determined that for a pupil weighing 130 lbs.

the resistance to further movement of the board 2' from the position 39 ofthe pin p is 20 lbs, the weight of the pupil being concentrated at the point indicated by the arrow on the pedal 71 As mentioned, means may be provided for varying the leverage of the system and to this end thelever e, 6 may be provided with a plurality of holes for the insertion of the pivot'd, or, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the pitch it, pmay be varied with or without variation of the leverage e, e, or the end ofthe lever e to which thercd is linked at f may be pro videdwitha plurality of holes, or a slotted With the exception of the means illustrated in Fig. 3, means for varying the leverage of the system have not been illustrated as such means will be obvious to any person skilled in the art.

It will appear that the connection of the rod gwith the pin or-pins .p permits some one end of play in order to facilitate the operation, as, with the pins p rigidly secured to the board 5. it would be diificult to find the proper position of parts immediately. In the present instance, with the rod 9 in position in the back Z) of the seat, the slot on will automatically en age the pin, or one of the pins 79, when the board is raised into the fulllines position, in Fig. 1. r

In order to prevent interference with the sight of the pupil by the rod 9 projecting centrally in front of the tableboard 2', the rod is preferably so designed that it may be moved out of the field of vision and to this end it may be adapted to be doubled up or, preferably, may be made of two telescoping parts g, g" as shown in Fig. 4, the end of the tubular lower portion 9 of the rod eX- tending about to the level of the hinge h. In operation, the solid portion 5/ of the rod is pulled out of-the tubular socket g with one hand while with the other hand the board i is raised until the rod canrbe connected at 79.

Preferably, the table board is provided with beads or similar projections at two points on its lower face to facilitate its handling. 1

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of.

construction shown and described for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. i

1. A school form having a hinged table board, a pedal for a person to stand on. means operatively connecting said pedal with said board so as to raise said pedal when said board is rocked about its hinge, and means for varying the leverage of said connection.

2. A'school form having a hinged table board, a double-armed lever fulcrumed in said form, a pedal for a. person to stand on at one end of said lever, a rod linked to the other end of said lever and to said table board, and means for varying the pitch of the point at which said rod is linked to said board.

3. A school form having a hinged table board. a double-armed lever fulcrumed in said form, a-pedal for a person to stand on said lever, a rod linked to the other end of said lever and to said table board, and a plurality of pins .in said board for connecting said rod to said board.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' KLAUS VON BOSENSTIEL. 

